Weekend eating: November 3-4

Cafe Belong

550 Bayview, at Pottery Rd, 416-901-8234, cafebelong.ca. The long-awaited centrepiece of the Don Valley's bucolic Brick Works eco-site, Restaurant Makeover celebu-chef Brad Long's all-day bistro and adjacent take-away lets locally grown and naturally raised products be the star of the show. Don't do crowds? Show up any time other than Saturday's farmers' market and have the enviro complex virtually to yourselves. Shame that getting there in anything other than a car or the shuttle bus from Broadview station is such an ordeal. Best: to start, heirloom tomato salad on a bed of nutty steamed barley dressed with pepper sprouts and English cucumber in minty sheep's milk yogurt dressing; seasonal mains like gorgeously fatty pan-seared slabs of sweet ‘n' sour pork belly glazed in maple syrup and apple cider vinegar over oven-roasted apples dressed with summer watercress; milk-braised lamb shoulder with spelt and crisply fried sage leaves; to finish, Monforte Dairy chèvre and wild Ontario blueberry cheesecake; to drink, raspberry iced tea; at the takeout counter, flaky buttermilk biscuits layered with smoked OceanWise char, wilted spinach and scrambled egg. Complete meals for $50 per person, including tax, tip and a glass of Ontario wine. Average main $19. Open for dinner Saturday 5 to 10 pm. Reservations recommended. Licensed. Access: barrier-free. Rating: NNN

Elle M'a Dit

35 Baldwin, at Henry, 416-546-3448, ellemadit.com. Though the often heavy Alsation carte at chef Gregory Furstoss and partner Tory Yang's très charmant Baldwin Village bistro might not be the best choice for a balmy August eve, come winter it fits the bill like a pair of fleece-lined Gortex gloves. Thoroughly professional service and a genuinely warm welcome only make it more so. Best: to start, delicate tarte flambée dressed with hickory-smoked trout, creamy fromage blanc, tangy green olives and fresh dill on a flaky flatbread crust so thin it's almost gluten-free; shareable mains like classic coq au vin paired with spaetzle laced with roasted onion, mushrooms and crunchy slivers of celery; velvety foie gras over gingerbread French toast in a sweet veal reduction; Baeckeoffe, an Alsatian shepherd's pie topped with potatoes and thick with slow-braised shredded short ribs, lamb shank and fatty pork belly sided with organic mesclun in cranberry vinaigrette; to finish, another tarte flambée dressed with cinnamon-dusted apple. Complete dinners for $50 per person (lunches $30), including tax tip and a glass of wine. Average main $20/$13. Open for dinner Saturday 5:30 to 10 pm. Licensed. Access: two steps at door, washrooms upstairs. Rating: NNNN

Museum Tavern

208 Bloor W, at Avenue Rd, 416-920-0110, museumtavern.ca. Alert the Glitter Girls - the 80s are back with a vengeance! With a lineage that goes back to such celebrated boîtes as Bemelmans, Bistro 990 and the Bellair Café, this bustling brasserie has a much more inventive and cosmopolitan carte than such Yorkville hot spots tend to serve. Throw in a second-storey terrace overlooking the ROM's crystal and watch the botox crowd flock, shoulder pads optional. Best: in homage to Bemelmans, the house double cheeseburger, 7 cooked-to-order ounces of prime beef on a house-baked egg bun dressed with local aged cheddar, lettuce, onion and a sauce appropriated from the Big Apple's legendary Shake Shack (aka ketchup 'n' mayo), perfectly skinny fries and Asian slaw on the side; crisply battered boneless Buffalo-style chicken wings stuffed with double-smoked bacon and blue cheese; whitefish tostadas dressed with pickled cabbage, adobo mayo and crema fresca; steamed Chinese buns piled with shredded duck confit and pickled veggies. Complete dinners for $65 per person (lunches $40), including tax, tip and a glass of wine. Average main $28/$18. Open for dinner Saturday 5 to 11 pm. Bar till close. Licensed. Access: barrier-free. Rating: NNNN

Sunday

Delux

92 Ossington, at Humbert, 416-537-0134, deluxrestaurant.ca. Corrina Mozo's popular Ossington bistro puts a Franco-Cuban spin on the most important meal of the day. A retro glam rock soundtrack, quick, efficient servers and a second room out back help ease the inevitable wait for a table. Avoid the booths unless you're exceptionally slim. Best: to start, baked-to-order buttermilk donuts and dulce de leche chantilly; baskets of crunchy conch fritters; follow with picadillo hash - Quebec duck confit, duck-fat-fried potatoes and sweet red peppers with capers, green olives and raisins, real-deal Moros y Cristianos black beans 'n' rice, smashed plantain tostones and two sunny-side-up eggs layered over top; French toast with house-baked challah, bananas and maple syrup; signature grilled Cubano sandwiches of cider-cured pork shoulder, sliced deli ham and gooey Gruyère, sided Havana-style with chunky frites and a whack o' watercress. Complete brunches for $30 per person, including tax, tip and a mojito. Average main $12. Open for brunch Sunday 10:30 am to 3 pm. Licensed. Access: one step at door, washrooms on same floor. Rating: NNNN

Pizzeria Defina

321 Roncesvalles, at Grenadier, 416-534-4414, pizzeriadefina.com. No one has yet posed a threat to Libretto, but this stylish family-friendly west-end bistro comes close, from better-than-they-should-be starters to perfectly blistered thin-crusted pies in two styles: Neapolitan with a raised edge and completely flat Roman pies. Servers are sweet, if run off their feet. Best: shareable apps like Caesar salad in a grilled garlic vinaigrette kissed with the slightest suggestion of anchovies; house-made papardelle in sweet, meaty Bolognese scented with fresh basil chiffonade and shaved parmigiano; the Red Hot Chili Pepper pizza dressed with house San Marzano tomato sauce, creamy fior di latte, chorizo, salami and jalapeños; cheesy lasagna pizzas, the only thing missing the pasta; the pierogi-inspired Roncey topped with thinly sliced potatoes, Asiago, pancetta and guanciale. Complete dinners for $40 per person (lunches $30), including tax, tip and a glass of wine. Average main $15. Open Sunday noon to 10 pm. Licensed. Access: one step at door, washrooms in basement. Rating: NNNN

Smith

553 Church, at Dundonald, 416-926-2501, 553church.com. Cousin to nearby 7 West and Wish, Renda Abdo's lastest resto-lounge (formerly the gay bar known as Straight) features a confident comfort food kitchen and the village's most exclusive patio - a romantic two-top on a secluded second-storey terrace overlooking the street. Bonus: show up on your bicycle and get a 10 per cent discount on food. Best: to start, brownie-like mint chocolate scones; follow with a wilted kale salad dressed with frisée, roasted almonds, toasted quinoa, a shaving of Grana Padano and a runny egg; traditional huevos rancheros on La Tortilleria tortillas dressed with black beans, chunky guacamole and house-made salsa; fluffy omelette du jour with caramelized leek, bacon and aged cheddar. Complete brunches for $25 per person, including tax, tip and a $6 Caesar. Average main $10. Open for brunch Sunday 10 am to 4 pm. Licensed. Access: nine steps at door, washrooms upstairs. Rating: NNN